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Mason Plumlee Going Forward

By Steven Dewald

Apr 25, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan (6) defends Portland Trail Blazers center Mason Plumlee (24) in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 25, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan (6) defends Portland Trail Blazers center Mason Plumlee (24) in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mason Plumlee has broken out in the playoffs, what does it mean going forward for the Trail Blazers?

Mason Plumlee has been a revelation in the postseason. After holding down the starting job all season, he has provided a solid encore to his first year in Portland. The Trail Blazers relied on a dynamic backcourt tandem to get them to the playoffs, but Plumlee’s breakout performance in the Clippers series has added a solid third threat to Terry Stotts’ arsenal. If Portland wins tonight, what will his role look like going forward?

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The Clippers deployed an aggressive defensive scheme against the Trail Blazers to open the series. They’ve effectively taken the ball out of Damian Lillard‘s hands and forced Portland’s role players to pick up the slack. So far, Plumlee has answered that challenge in a big way. His assist and rebounding numbers have basically doubled over his regular season numbers (2.8 APG to 6.0 APG, 7.7 RPG to 13.0 RPG). His ability to facilitate the ball while the guards are being suffocated has led to positive results for the offense.

Plumlee’s achilles heel for most of his career has been his free throw shooting. That hasn’t been the case in the playoffs. His FT% sits at .765 in round one, which is a promising improvement over his .642 FT% in the regular season. It would be a much different series if DeAndre Jordan could mimic those numbers.

Apr 23, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers center Mason Plumlee (24) grabs a rebound over Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) and center DeAndre Jordan (6) in game three of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 23, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers center Mason Plumlee (24) grabs a rebound over Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) and center DeAndre Jordan (6) in game three of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports /

If Portland advances, the Warriors will likely copy Doc Rivers’ defensive approach. Taking Lillard out of the series is likely the best bet to defeating the Trail Blazers. Stephen Curry‘s injury will help Stotts’ squad on defense, but could hamper them on offense. Shaun Livingston has taken over the starting guard spot, his 6’7″ frame will present major problems. This will likely put the ball in Plumlee’s hands once again.

Outside of this campaign, Plumlee’s postseason performance could change Neil Olshey’s free agency playbook. The Trail Blazers were basically locked in to be players for big men this summer, but the rise of Maurice Harkless and Plumlee could shift those plans. If Portland looks to upgrade the post it will likely mean it will be at power forward.

Plumlee played at center in 98% of his court time this season, which is a massive shift since his days in Brooklyn. While with the Nets, he played 25% of his minutes at power forward (per Basketball-Reference.com). He has shown he is capable of playing alongside a paint dominant center (Brook Lopez), but it would have serious effects on Portland’s offense. Spacing is everything, less than one percent (.058) of Plumlee’s shots came from between ten and sixteen feet. Of those shots, he only hit a third of them (.333). Adding a reliable ten foot shot would be crucial for the big man over the summer if a center is added.

Selling high could also be an option for Olshey. Plumlee has one more year left on a cheap contract, then he will hit restricted free agency. This will be in the same offseason that C.J. McCollum will be looking for an extension as well. Cashing in on his red hot postseason would go against the chemistry that was crucial for this magical run, so don’t bet on a trade.

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Making a big offseason move might not be necessary after this playoff run. A core of Lillard, McCollum, Harkless, and Plumlee is a solid foundation to build off of. All of these players have their best days ahead of them, which could mean big things for Rip City in the years to come.